The invention relates to a riding or travelling bit for horses consisting of known, rigid or articulated, bit rod made substantially of two different types of metal.
Such bits are known from the British Patent No. 2,695 and are in use in various forms. As disclosed in the British patent, inserts of steel in harness bit bars, which are otherwise made of nickel, are intended to improve the durability of the harness bit at the joints or points of articulation. It is also known to have such bits manufactured from copper or a copper alloy, as copper corrodes under the influence of air and of the horse's saliva, and the salts produced in the process make the horse chew, probably on account of their sour taste. This is desirable, as the chewing action has a positive effect on the `receptivity` of the horse to `assistance from the reins`, ie, to commands transmitted by means of the reins (EP 0 126 210 A1; DE 43 26 550 C1).
It is further known that battery cells or torchlight batteries can be tested by touching both poles using the tongue. Provided a reasonably normal potential is present, the electrolysis of the saliva produces a sour taste.